Schistura melarancia Kottelat, 2000

Family:  Nemacheilidae (Brook loaches)
Max. size:  9.6 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Mekong drainage in Laos and Vietnam.
Diagnosis:  Body slightly compressed; head depressed, conical; snout long, pointed, eye directed upwards, slightly protruding along dorsal profile; anterior nostril pierced on front side of a flap; processus dentiformis present; lower lip interrupted medially; lateral line complete; anus about 1-2 eye diameters in front of anal-fin origin; 8.5 branched dorsal-fin rays; 5.5 branched anal-fin rays; caudal fin emarginate, with 9+8 branched rays; axillary pelvic lobe present; body and fins orange brown in life, pale chocolate brown when preserved; a broad conspicuous black stripe from gill opening to caudal-fin base; a long black bar at caudal-fin base, not reaching dorsal and ventral midlines (Ref. 36949).
Biology:  Found in riffles and fast flowing creeks (Ref. 43281).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 July 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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